It is well known to construct such tanks using precast panels. E.g., in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,280,525, and 3,408,784, issued respectively on Oct. 25, 1966, and Nov. 5, 1968, there is disclosed the procedure of precasting concrete panels on sheet metal diaphragms, which serve as molds; erecting the panels, each including its full height diaphragm, on a foundation to form the tank wall; coating the tank wall with pneumatically placed mortar; wrapping steel wire under tension around the coated tank to prestress the wall; and then adding an outer mortar layer to protect the prestressing wire from corrosion.
The diaphragms for such tanks are expensive, specialized machinery is required to fabricate them, and they are subject to damage during shipping. Further, the mortar finishing is also costly, and is especially difficult to apply during severely cold weather.
In my U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,383, issued Apr. 5, 1977, the diaphragms and the mortar finishing are eliminated, and the prestressing wire is encased in vertically spaced concrete beams surrounding the tank wall. But, despite the concrete beams, corrosion of the prestressing wire has been a problem, shortening the life of the tank.